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CBI files charge sheet in rly bribery scam

New Delhi, July 2, 2013, DHNS:

Former minister Pawan Bansal not named in cash-for-post scandal

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday filed a charge sheet in the cash-for-post railway bribery scandal before a special court here, naming former railway minister P K Bansal’s nephew Vijay Singla and suspended board member Mahesh Kumar among the 10 accused.

Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal had to resign from the post of the railway minister following the arrest of his nephew. He was also interrogated by the CBI. He has not been named in the charge sheet as the CBI has not found any evidence against him.

Sources said if they get evidence against him, they may file a supplementary charge sheet.

Except Murali and Venugopal, the CBI has arrested the remaining eight accused named in the charge sheet.

The court is likely to take cognisance of the charge sheet on Wednesday. In its FIR, the CBI has alleged that middleman Sandeep Goyal promised Kumar to arrange the plum post of Member (Electrical) in the Railway Board against Rs 10 crore, the sources said.

They said Goyal, who was in touch with Singla and another middleman Ajay Garg, was trying hard to get the post for Kumar as several lucrative projects were in the pipeline.In the meanwhile, Kumar was appointed Member (Staff) in the Board, which is not seen as a coveted post in railway power circles, they said.

Following his appointment, Kumar allegedly approached Goyal for managing the additional charge of general manager, western Railways, besides signal and telecommunication, until he is appointed Member (Electrical). For this arrangement, Goyal demanded Rs 2 crore as immediate payment.

The CBI alleged that Kumar had approached managing director of the Bangalore-based G G Tronics India Pvt Ltd, Narayan Rao Manjunath, and other businessmen and industrialists dealing with railway work for making the payment against favours from him, the sources said.